Gemotions

The chess board was set up, the pieces gleaming under the dim light of the living room. Robert absentmindedly arranged the pawns, his gaze unfocused. He and his son, David, used to play for hours. Now, David was immersed in basketball training, his focus entirely on the court.

Robert had dreamt of intense matches, of strategizing together, of passing down his winning strategies. The quiet of the room pressed in on him. The silence felt so substantial that it threatened to drown him. He felt hollow, as if a vital piece of his own life was missing.